What's on your Tuesday Menu?

Your pumpkin muffin story is exactly what I'm saying! Chasing the real thing with fake things will never satisfy. The real thing will. I used to think the alternative versions were a great hack but the rejection from our bodies and tastebuds says a lot.

I don't like substitute versions of things. I can get myself to eat less, but I can't make myself eat things I don't like. I stick to calorie limits, and eat what I feel like within that boundary.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I hope your wisdom on reality works. I feel like I am missing out on things sometimes when I am constantly on a diet. Maybe giving myself grace instead of calling it a cheat will help me not beat myself up over a piece of bread or a taste of a dessert. You give me lots to think about.

After surgery I dedicated myself to substitutes. I did not use sugar, wheat, cereal, rice, breads, butter, or pasta. I only used fat-free milk and fat-free cheeses. I ate very lean fish and meats. I made every bread-like from things like flaxseed and almond flour. I ate a flaxseed muffin several times a day and drank a lot of protein shakes.

I did not eat any fruit except blueberries or strawberries. I ate only non-starchy veggies and did not eat anything with corn or potatoes.

I had an ice cream maker that had its own compressor and made a protein shake into ice cream in ten minutes. I still had regain at 30 months. I went back to Weigh****chers when I could not get the regain off. I have been dieting ever since.

Now I do maintain my ideal weight. And I only eat real foods. No fake sugars, no fat free dressings, no almond flour and flaxseed. I have a slice of bread, an English muffin, half of a hamburger bun. I bake a potato and eat half with butter or even a bit of sour cream.

Like many "old ladies" I have jars of candy on the counter in the kitchen. I allow myself all the candy I want. I still have a bag of Hershey Nuggets that I bought a year ago, so I do not want much candy.

I believe the secret is to have absolutely no forbidden foods. When I was not allowed to have something I craved it and then ate way too much of it. Now I know that I can have anything I want and cravings are a thing of the past.

I think that you are being realistic in your eating habits that you want to change. You have to do something that works for you and that you can sustain. We are not all built the same so what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. Love your insight!

Good Morning Queen JB and Menuers,

I am sorry you are struggling these days. I think we all struggle every day and just have to realize we will all be on diets for the rest of our life. What everyone else calls a lifestyle change we call a diet because we miss our sugar and carbs. We are just lucky God gave us coffee.

Today I just got work and nothing else. I am a bit tired from staying up watching the Steeles play. It was not a good game just lucky we won. Tomorrow, I get to go to pain Doctor with DH. This is a new doctor and first visit back after all the testing. Hoping he comes up with a game plan to get him better and not just throw more pills at him. Also, I need to take my mom to get blood work. I will be late for work in the morning, but I will be here. If I do not post it will be because I am too busy.

QOTD: No just liver on preference.

Accountability: I am lacking on exercise, but I am doing well on food.

TSS: 5 years 9-month 8-days 159 Lowest (129.4)

B: Coffee with SF ID Pumpkin Spice creamer

MS: L&F Boston cream Greek yogurt and berries,

CB: Coffee with SF ID Pumpkin Spice creamer

L: crack chicken and balanced breaks

D: Salad grilled chicken and feta with a balsamic dressing.

(anybody got any good Salad dressing hacks) I find the store-bought ones have so many calories) Is there any low-calorie ones that actually tase good?

Exercise: Dog walking.

Water and Vitamins: On track. I take a Bariatric Advantage Ultra multi w/iron I use bariatric advantage Calcium chews and 500mg of Magnesium. I also use MiraLAX and fiber in my first coffee of the day.

Have a great day my friends.

Brightest Blessings,

Chrissy

Good morning! QJB, maybe we finally beat the jinx. I slept really well also. Last night's fundraiser was terrific but I do not like Daughtry. Not the man, the music. But my daughter loved it so I'm happy. I barely ate and mostly drank my dinner. I've been out already and done my penance and got in a hard workout. Back on the wagon today.

Today brings a lunch meeting with our financial planner and my bestie, as we share the same guy. And that is it! I just have to gather up the leg strength and energy now to drag myself through the shower and all the hard stuff today is done.

QoTD: no dog, no horse, no giraffe. I've always been a bit picky about meat and not strayed far from beef, pork and chicken. But post surgery I decided to be braver. I have found lots of fish I love. But goat and duck are two I don't like. And suckling piggies? I can't get past the visual on that one.

Menu today

B: chicken and pinto beans

L: TBD, but it's a great seafood place

D: baked chicken thighs and potato

Peace Everybody.

I love your dinner choice last night. It looks so good on the scale the next morning. Too bad a few glasses of hydration blow that number out of the water. Always so fun when it happens though.

That meme about sums up my previous to WLS dieting history. There is always an occasion to celebrate with food. Why do we need to focus our celebrations around dinners, treats, BBQ, etc.? Too bad our society didn't use activities for celebration instead. Definitely would have been more productive and less destructive to the waistline!

Good job on being so productive yesterday. Hopefully your knee will be better today. I like to listen to my audiobooks while I walk, it is a great distraction from what I am doing. I also listen when meal prepping or house cleaning.

I am off today. I did make my 10 thousand weekly salads yesterday (Yay!). Today I already got my yoga workout in, unpacked my bag (my bag was lost in transit yesterday. It decided it wanted to be on vacation longer and got off in Oakland....The airline made it come home anyways and was delivered to me late last night), did laundry. Next up will be to drive with DS to the college to scope out his classroom locations as college starts tomorrow for him. Lastly will be a weight workout after that. Then kick back to relax.

QOTD: No religious or social reason to avoid any food. I would say more the thought of some things is gross. Sea Urchin? Textures of other items... That sort of thing.

Accountability: While away at the conference I did try to make some better choices but did allow some flexibility in eating. Today I am back on track with eating.

B: triple zero greek yogurt with keto granola and berries, cold brew with half and half

L: Asian chicken salad with light sesame ginger dressing

D: Berry Lettuce Chicken salad with light poppy seed dressing

S: protein frosty, sf chocolate

E: yoga (done), back, rear delts, bicep weight workout.